To Zoo or Not to Zoo, That is the Question

[jon]

I'll admit that the only connection to broadcasting this topic (Zoos) has is Bob Barker, pictured at right above, and the tremendous amount of air time zoo stories have received over the last few years, especially here in Alberta, where Bob has criticized at least two zoos.

Although I'm a huge fan of the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, and have defended Edmonton's Valley Zoo keeping Lucy, an elephant unable to travel safely, I supported the recent closure of the private Guzoo in rural Alberta, and never really understood the issues surrounding the closing of Stanley Park's zoo.

But this zoo in Argentina is just plain weird. Though, I guess, not that different from the circuses I see in movies of the 1930s-50s.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -back.html

The feature attraction is being able to "ride" a lion. OK, just climb on the back of a full grown young mail lion; I don't think you go anywhere.

[Mike Cleaver]

The San Diego Zoo was iconic even when I visited in 1964.
But many others simply have inadequate or too small facilities for the animals.
I prefer the approach where you see animals in their native habitat, such as my trip to Thailand where you were able to ride on an Elephant which during a normal day, was moving huge logs of teak and other lumber in a forest.
Elephants there are revered and are part of the family and are celebrated in festivals during the year.

[PMC]

Being with the animals is nice, but when the animal decides to show a human that it has had enough, and then kills or seriously hurts someone, all the excuses come out for the place that keeps these creatures of the wild. Time passes and the activity resumes, until another animal gets to express its nature. People use animals for profit, and then cast them aside when they don't return the same. The animal doesn't know the greedy people are there to make money.